Kelty & Sierra Designs Join as Co-Patron Partners

The AMGA inspires and supports a culture of American mountain craft by providing world-class and internationally recognized education, training, and certification to aspiring and professional guides. Our guides succeed because of our partner’s financial assistance, which pays for scholarships, programs, and many other AMGA initiatives. These partnerships also put us in a strong position to advocate for access for the guided public with land managers, legislators, and other industry partners. The AMGA is the only organization that comprehensively meets the needs of America’s guides today.

The AMGA is proud to have Sierra Designs and Kelty recently join as co-Patron Partners. Our Patrons contribute each year to support AMGA initiatives across a wide range of activities. “What makes professional guiding in American unique compared to professional guiding in other countries is the special relationship that exists between the outdoor industry and our professional guides,” said Betsy Winter, Executive Director of the AMGA. “Without support from companies such as Kelty and Sierra Designs, guiding in the United States would not be where it is today, and the AMGA would not be as successful in growing and enhancing the profession. By partnering with the AMGA, Kelty and Sierra Designs’ are demonstrating their commitment to the guided public and to keeping the spirit of adventure alive through the craft of mountain guiding.”

“The AMGA is one of the most well-respected guide organizations on the planet, and we are very excited to partner with them,” stated Scott Kaier, Public Relations Manger for American Rec (parent company of Kelty and Sierra Designs, among others). “To most people, tents, sleeping bags, and technical apparel are strictly for recreation. To AMGA members and guides, they are indispensable tools of the trade. We hope that our participation will help AMGA members keep the outdoors as safe and accessible as possible while the AMGA continues to educate, train, and certify professional guides around the world.”

About AMGA: The American Mountain Guides Association (AMGA) is a 501(c)(3) educational non-profit that inspires and supports a culture of American mountain craft. As the leading organization of America’s most vibrant, inspiring community of climbers and skiers, the AMGA offers cutting edge knowledge and hundreds of years of collective experience that you won’t get from any other climbing organization. AMGA guides and staff are the experts in the business of being a guide. The AMGA spent 30 years setting standards for American guiding, protecting the guiding environment, and organizing a powerful, unified community of climbers and skiers. And will spend the next 30 supporting future generations of guides and clients

About Kelty: Born over 60 years ago in a Glendale, Calif., garage, Kelty forever changed the world of backpacking with the first ever external aluminum frame backpack. Since then, Kelty has worked to make outdoors more accessible for everyone by creating high quality equipment to complement any active, outdoor lifestyle. Today, Kelty proudly offers a wide range of functional and durable packs, tents, sleeping bags, luggage, and family camping gear for anybody interested in just about any outdoor adventure. For more on Kelty, please visit their website.

About Sierra Designs: Founded in 1965 at the beginning of the golden age of backpacking and climbing, Sierra Designs draws on an extensive heritage to create innovative, technologically-advanced outdoor equipment to compliment any active, outdoor lifestyle. With years of experience designing best in class tents, sleeping bags, and apparel, Sierra Designs has been to every corner of the world, from the highest peaks in the Himalaya to the campground down the road. Whether you’re an ultralight hiker, world-class mountaineer, or recreational camper, Sierra Designs has you covered. For more information, please visit their website.